Orange vanilla bliss recipe from Nestle

This recipe features the yummy combination of orange and banana topped with the creaminess of vanilla. It makes two servings, but it is so good, you may not want to share!

Ingredients 

• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 
• 1/4 cup Vanilla Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE NATURAL BLISS All-Natural Coffee Creamer 
• 1/2 frozen or room temperature banana 
• 1/2 cup ice cubes 

Directions
PLACE orange juice, Coffee-mate, banana and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Caramel and coconut milkshake recipe from Nestle

This delightful recipe will yield two servings and is a great way to cool off on a hot summer day
with a good friend. The combination of caramel and coconut flavors will remind you of a Samoa.

Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla or chocolate light ice cream 
• 1 cup refrigerated unsweetened coconut milk (not canned) or lowfat 1% milk 
• 2 tablespoons NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE® GIRL SCOUTS® Caramel & Coconut Flavor Liquid Coffee Creamer 
• 1 tablespoon caramel syrup or NESTLÉ LA LECHERA Dulce de Leche (squeezable bottle) 
• Toasted coconut flakes (optional) 
• Chocolate shavings (optional) 

Directions
PLACE ice cream, milk and Coffee-mate in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
SWIRL caramel syrup around inside of 2 glasses. Divide milk shake between glasses. Garnish milk shakes with coconut and chocolate.

Basil butter recipe

(Photo credit: latisha (herbmother))

This rich, herb infused butter is a quick way to perk up a summer steak, add some oomph to your veggies or top off a crusty loaf of bread. It is easy to make and such a simple way to boost your summertime meals.

BASIL BUTTER
Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped basil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients and stir until combined. Place butter mixture on a sheet of waxed paper and roll into a cylinder approximately 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Twist ends to seal. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before using so it is firm and easy to cut into portions. Store up to 1 week in the refrigerator. 

Green goddess dressing recipe

Green goddess dressing served as a dip for raw vegetables (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I tried my first green goddess dressing while working at Cobblestone Cafe. At first, I was skeptical of any dressing that contained so much "greenery", but once I let down my guard I was pleasantly surprised by just how delicious it was! If you have never tried it, I highly recommend this dressing to everyone.

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 6-7 scallions, chopped (use both green and white parts of the scallion)
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions
Place all ingredients except sour cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Add sour cream and process until just blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook's Notes-Many recipes include 1-2 teaspoons of anchovy paste in them. As I am allergic to all things fish, I leave it out of my recipe. If you wish to add it, feel free to!

Pesto chicken salad recipe

Pesto (Photo credit: Yannic Meyer)

I was never a big fan of chicken salad sandwiches but that all changed a few years ago when I worked at Cobblestone Cafe. After making literally pounds and pounds of our special recipe every week, I caved and tried it. Surprise! It was pretty darn tasty. When we updated our menu, our head chef tried a new recipe which featured basil and pine nuts and I was in love. Unfortunately, our older clientele wasn't and our scrumptious new recipe fell by the wayside. This is my take on that chicken salad recipe that finally made me a fan.

PESTO CHICKEN SALAD
Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced (grilled offers the best flavor, in my opinion)
• 1/6 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/6 cup ranch dressing
• 1 tablespoon pesto 
• 1 teaspoon chopped toasted pine nuts 
• 2 teaspoons chopped roasted red bell peppers 
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients together and stir well.